How is a Virgin Defined?

The topic of virginity is very controversial today and has been for quite sometime. The question many people often ask is what actually defines a virgin. About.com defines a virgin as a person who has not had sexual intercourse. Many people firmly believe that one may still remain a virgin by having sexual intercourse such as oral sex. In “The Cult of Virginity” by Jessica Valenti, she talks about Hanne Blank as she defines the term virgin. Blank defines a virgin as the state of not having partnered sex. In my own opinion, this is a precise definition of virginity. Whether one is heterosexual or homosexual, partnered sex is necessary to lose one’s virginity. In the article Teen Advice from About.com it is stated that virginity is a synonym for gender. Valenti writes that many sources compare virginity with women. Virginity is not only something that a women can posses. Men posses virginity as well; however, it is viewed in a completely different way. Men are boastful and proud when their virginity is lost. It is a time when they become a man, many believe. They want to tell everyone they come into contact with. Women, on the other hand, feel very guilty afterwards in most cases. They are bullied and could potentially have a ruined reputation. Why is this? This is the way that society has depicted virginity. Women are supposed to be lady like and almost perfect. This is something that needs to change in our society. If is shameful for young women to be sexually active, likewise it is shameful for young men.